New group brings Cape career women together

Membership grows as association springs up from similar group that disbanded.

Sean F. Driscoll @SeanFDriscoll

Cape Cod businesswomen or women in a career transition have a new place to make professional connections, get education and share tips of their trade.

The nonprofit Cape Cod Women's Association formed after the local chapter of the American Business Women's Association voted to disband in February following several years of declining membership and rising dues, said Jane Bourette, board president of the new group.

"We were sad to see what's happening," she said of the business association's dissolution. "We wanted to figure out what we can do to meet the needs of our members that aren't being met by other organizations on the Cape."

That answer was the Cape Cod Women's Association, which holds dinner meetings the second Tuesday of the month that feature networking opportunities, a 10-minute member spotlight and a guest speaker. In just a few months, the association is nearly 70 members strong and is bringing in women from a range of career trajectories, Bourette said.

"Many women are in transition" either because of a relocation, a new job or career or after having retired, Bourette said. "A lot of the women are looking for direction at the next stage of their lives. It's a diverse group of members."

Given the makeup of businesswomen on the Cape, many of whom are sole proprietors or working remotely for a larger company, the need for such a professional organization remained clear after the business association's chapter ended, Bourette said.

"Women are big at networking with other women," she said. "We have strong camaraderie with one another, but on the Cape they're often working on their own or in small group settings. A need for the referral network is strong on Cape Cod. People are looking to get off the computer and share their stories."

Denise Dever, owner of Home Instead Senior Care in Sandwich, was a longtime member of the American Business Women's Association who helped start the Cape Cod Women's Association. She now serves as the new group's vice president but said the current board plans to help get newer members more involved in leading the nascent organization.

"We're really seeing a surge in membership, which is great," she said. "I'm just looking forward to making this a great success."